Equalizing return trap



Jan. 9, 1945. M. E. MILLER 2,366,745

EQUALIZING RETURN TRAP Filed Oct. 22, 1941 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l MA-MA I NV ENTOR.

JWi cba d E Miller Jan. 1945'.

M. E. MILLER EQUALIZING RETURN TRAP 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1941 l INVENTO'R. Gel EJY/iJ/Zer' i with a one pipe heating ing steam system capable of numerous lar characters and references in the Patented Jan. 9, 194s 2,366,746 EQUALIZING RETURN TRAP Michael E. Miller, Omaha, Nebr. Application October 22, 1941, Serial No. 416,054

9 Claims.

(Granted under the act of amended April 30, 1928;

The invention described herein, if patented,-

may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an equalizing return trap and more particularly to a return trap for use in one pipe steam heating systems.

The control of steam supplied to a radiator of a one pipe heating system has neverbeen satisfactorily accomplished because the steam to the radiator and the water condensed by the radiator must pass through to the radiator and leave the radiator through the same valve opening. Therefore the valve must be either fully opened 'or closed. For this same reason it is not practical to thermostatically control the steam to the radiators of a one pipe heating system.

Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide an improved trap for use in connection system to controlthe passage of steam therethrough in one direction toward a radiator or the like and also to control the flow of conden opposite direction. a

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved trap for use in a one pipe modulatthat is manually controlled or thermostatically controlled. The device, therefore, contemplates the provision of an equalizing return trap which may be used on the radiator of a one pipe heating system'which will make it possible not only to'control the steam supply to the radiators by manually controlled radiator valves but also by thermostatic radiator I valves.

It is to be understood that the invention is mechanical expressions, one of which, for purposes of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that this is for purposes of illustration only and is not to be construed asa limitation of the invention, since slight changes in form and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in which simi- .cate identical .parts:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a radiator illustrat.

ing the application of the trap.

Fig. 21s aside elevationof a radiator illustrating a modified form of the trap.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the invention taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the trap.

ate therethrough in the from the spirit of figures indie March 3, 1883, as 370 0. G. 757) Fig. 5 is a vertical line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a verticalsection of the check valve.

Reference now being had to the drawings by numerals, in Fig. 1 In designates a radiator and valve of common construction, H a feed pipe and 2 the return connection, both of which are adapted to be connected to the radiator in any suitable manner. Betweenthe main steamsupply pip'e, not shown, and the feed .pipe H and return connection 2 is the equalizing return trap i3, which is composed of a steam separating fitting l4 having an outlet IS, an a baflle plate H, which divides the fitting I 4 into two parts, one for the steam supply to the radiatransverse section taken on tor and the other for discharging the condensate to the one pipe supply, a valve mechanism plate l9. Bolts 20 are provided I8 and the trap body to connect the above parts together as a unit.

The return trap I 3 contains themechanism for seating and unseating the valve, which conthe equalizing steam and the discharge of the condensation respectively. A check valve housing 2| is mounted'on'the trap A as shown in Fig. l, and interposed between it and the return connection 2. The trap shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is duplicate inconstruction except that the check valve 2| is directly connected to the trap in Fig. 1 and is connected to the radia tor I 0 and then to the trap l3 by return pipe I 2 in Fig. 2.

The plate It; is provided with arms 22 on which is pivotally mounted a flap or check valve 23, while on the opposite side of the plate J8 a ms 24 are provided to pivotally receive the float lever 25 on which is mounted a float 26. A projection 21 provided on the opposite end of the float lever 25 is adapted to reciprocate in the slotted opening 28 in the valve stem 29, thereby reciprocating tion 2 by means-of union ll.

inlet l t and '39 of the trap body.

As shown in Fig. 2, a modified assembly, the check valve housing is connected to the radiator l and to a return pipe H which extends beneath the radiator to the connection 35 or the trap.

As the steam within the radiator condenses, the weight of the water overcomes the diflerential in steam pressure and discharges to the reservoir "The swingable check valve 33 has a small vent vacuum can be formed in the radiator to hold the valve shut. ,This opening is so small that no substantial amount of sure in the pipe and trap results when-the pressure equalizing valve is opened, in spite of its presence. When the water in the reservoirreaches a certain level, the float 26 reciprocates the valve stem and admits steam on top of the water in the trap at the same time and the steam holds the check valve 33 shut to the radiator. Therefore, when .the steam in the trap and in the supply line are equalized the water will raise the flap or check valve 23 and discharge to the supply line by way of outlet l6 and be returned to the boiler. The float 28 has a counterweight 40 formed integrally with the projection 21 and float lever 25 for counterbalancing the float assembly; The slotted connection between the valve stem 29 and the arm 21 of the float lever assembly provides for shifting the valve only at the extremity of the movements of the float, thus insuring the discharge of a substantial quantity of condensate at each operation of the device.

28 determines the high The length of the slot and low levels of condensate in the trap, though the position of the valve stem in the seat 30 may also be controlled by adjustment of the cap 3| on the stem.

In this manner there is provided a steam equalizing trap which returns the water condensed by the radiator back into the one pipe steam connection to the radiator without requiring that the steam supply to the radiator be either on or ofi or in any particular adjustment.

The operation of the device should be understood from the previous description and it is not thought necessary to go into a detailed account of said operation.

While only on embodiment of the invention has been described and illustratedin the drawings, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of a, wide variety of mechanical expressions and that changes may be made in the form anddetails of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention and the-scope of the appended claims. Having thus described the invention, what'is claimed as new and desired tosecure by Letters Patent is: w

1. An equalizing condensate return. trap for a one pipe steam heating system comprising a housing having .an opening adapted to be connected to the bottom of a radiator and having two openings for connection to the pipe adjacent the radiator, and means controlled by accumulated condensate in the housing to admit steam from the pipe into the trap through one open- I ing and allow the condensate to escape into the pipe through the other.

2. An equalizing condensate return trap for a one pipe heating system comprising a housing having two chambers, one having two openings adapted to be connected to the pipe to form a section thereof and the other having an open- Y ing for connection to the lower portion of a radia- 32 drilled thereinso that no l aseana condensate. and two valved passages between the steam and wafter. escapes J i from the trap and quick equalization of the preschambers, one valve operated condensate to equalize the pressure between the pipe and the trap and the other valve permitting outflow or the condensate when the pressure is equalized. Y

3. An equalizing condensatereturn trap for a one pipe steam heating system comprising a housing having openings adapted to be connected to the bottom of a radiator and the steam pipe therefor, and having a check valve in between the housing and the .pipe opening with the flow oi condensate and against the pressure of the steam in the pipe, and means controlled by the accumulation of condensate within the housing for equalizing the pressure between the pipe'and the housing, thereby permitting the condensate to flow through the check valve.

4. An equalizing condensate return trap adapted to be connected between the lower part of a closed heating system and a steam pipe feeding the same, comprising a, chamber having a passage leading from the system with a check valve therein and two .passages to the steam pipe, one with an outwardly opening check valve and the other with a valve automatically opened by accumulated condensate to admit steam from the pipe to equalize thev pressure between the trap and the pipe, the first-mentioned check valve preventing back flow of steam and condensate sate to the steam pipe comprising two chambers communicating with the radiator and the steam pipe respectively, said chambers having two valved passages between them, one automatically controlled by the trapped condensate for equal- 40 izing the pressure between the chamber and the pipe and the other opened by the pressure of the condensate when the vapor pressures are 'equalized between the trap and pipe.

6. A radiator having a steam a condensate return trap connected between the lowest-point of the radiator and the pipe, said trap having a wall forming a pipe walland proautomatisure in the trap is substantially equal to that in the pipe, and a baflie shielding the passage openings onthe side of the wall within the pipe.

7. A steam circulating system having a steam supply line and a closed area in which condensation takes place and means for returning condensate from. the lower part or the area to the steam supply line, said means comprising a chamber having a passage from the closed area containing a check valve opening toward the chamber and a small vent between the chamber and said area, said chamber being connected to e the steam line by two passages, one having an ifull or condensate and closed when the condensate has drained away.

8. The combination of a one pipe steam radia- V tor and a condensate return trap, said trap hav ing a passage connected to the bottom of the radiator and two valved passages to the steam pipe, one valve being controlled by the liquid level v in the trap and the other being operated by the .by accumulated inlet pipe and the valve is closed, the tubular wall of said pressure 01' the condensate, the first-mentioned valve comprising a cylindrical casing forming one of the passages between the trap and pipe and a hollow tubular valve slidable in said casing and projecting at both ends, said valve having a cap on the end projecting into the pipe, the flange of said cap seating on the casing when valve having apertures adjacent said cap for the passage of steam and an elongated slot at the trap end, said end being open, and operating means for the valve comprising a, triple-armed lever, one arm carrying a weight, one a float, and one passing through the slot in the valve to form a lost motion operating connection.

9. The combination of a one pipe steam radiator and a condensate return trap, said trap having a passage connected to the bottom or the radiator andtwo valved passages to the steam pipe, one valve being controlled by the liquid level in the trap and the other being operated by the pressur of the condensate, the first-mentioned valve comp i ing a tubular hollow valve closed at one end and slidable in the connect n passage and projectingtherefrom at both ends, said valve having apertures near the closed end alternately closed by the passage or being projected therefrom, and float-lever operating means having a lost motion connection with the other projecting end of the valve.

' MICHAEL E. MILLER. 

